Customer Reviews

Troubadour (AmazonMP3 Exclusive Version) [Explicit]

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm not usually a rap fan - I listen more to jazz, roots and world music - but I really enjoyed this album. Musically it runs a wide spectrum, from African-tinged rap, to pop, with even a rock number thrown in. K'naan does a great job with all these genres. He's a very talented songwriter and singer with a lot to say.

It's interesting to hear a voice from Somalia after reading about it so often in the paper: "the worse place in the world right now" as K'naan says in one song. His descriptions of a childhood on the streets are very poignant and his songs about hope and pursuing his dreams are really moving.

The song "Waving Flag" picks up Bob Marley's mantle. K'naan is not Marley, but then, neither was Marley when he started out.

I am sure other reviewers will write about this in the context of rap music, and how K'naan stands up to American rappers; but even if you are not a rap fan, you should still check out this album. K'naan is an important voice and his music resonates well beyond any one genre or listener group.

I'm really not that into commercial hip hop until I found K'NAAN. Don't let the fact that his music is in constant commercial rotation on MTV give you the wrong idea. He puts excitement back in to the genre because his rhymes aren't about how much money he's got or how many girls he's with. His words have substance and meaning, and because he comes from Somalia, he has real world experience to back it up. However, just because he's more of a serious MC, doesn't mean he still can't make you dance. Every song on this album is good and worth a listen, especially "I Come Prepared", "Dreamer", "Bang Bang" and especially "Wavin' Flag".

K'naan is pretty much amazing! I don't usually listen to hip hop but this album was terrific! It blew my mind. I love it!

This album is sooo good and K'NAAN is a-maz-ing! Buy Troubadour immediately. :-)

I really love the new album. It can't compete with the first but it can hold it's own against the rap albums out today or even pop or even rock because all those genres cover life and experiences and k'naan's life is so beautifully told through his music it's just amazing. I listened to this album on myspace before i bought it and i really can relate and understand the relevance of every song even if i don't particularly like it. I love ABC's (but could do without chuck d), waving flag, 15 minutes away(every immigrant would), Fatima, Somalia, America, People like me and Fire in Freetown. I think K'naan has a great vision of what music should be and that's why i bought the entire album and so should you.

K'naan? Eminem? Marley? $1.99? Amazon's amazing to offer a killer price the same day of its release. Rap/African, a spark of reggae/pop, wow!, all good stuff comin' out of Somalia.

Maybe it's a little early to make this proclamation, but I've been listening to these tracks nonstop ever since they debuted on K'naan's myspace page awhile ago. He's got it: the message, the flow, the music, the global perspective. These are anthems that should take their place along Marley and Tosh and Springsteen one day. At $1.99, I couldn't afford not to buy the album.

I just got this album and I can't stop listening to it! The tunes are catchy and different and K'naan truly demonstrates what a fantastic MC he is. Troubadour is blowing me away! The album as a whole is amazing and that's something you don't see much of anymore, but I can see a lot of these songs being hits. Buy it if only for the glorious bonus song "Biscuit"!

There were probably three songs on this whole album that I thought were decent. ALL of the songs are ridiculously repetitive and need more lyrics; they make you feel like he just got lazy after coming up with one line and decided that maybe you would want to hear it again and again as a song in itself.
I've never reviewed a song or album before, but I definitely felt the need to warn people of this disappointing waste of money, so that should tell you something.
Just buy the single Wavin Flag and be done with it.

I confess, this isn't really a review, just a raving fan letter. What a mix of rap and African music, what spirit. I find these tunes in my head again and again, what a gift to the world, Thank You K'NAAN !